10HS

Soil Moisture Sensor

Operator’s
Manual

Version 3
 Decagon Devices, Inc.
2365 NE Hopkins Court
Pullman WA 99163
(509) 332-2756
fax: (509) 332-5158
www.decagon.com

Trademarks
10HS is a registered trademark of
Decagon Devices, Inc.

©2008-2010 Decagon Devices, Inc.

 Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................1
Specifications............................................................ 1
Customer Support.................................................... 2
Warranty Information............................................... 3
Seller’s Liability......................................................... 3

2. About the 10HS............................................4

Background Info....................................................... 4

3. Theory...........................................................5
4. Installing the Sensor.....................................6
5. Collecting Data.............................................8
Data logger Requirements......................................... 8

6. Calibration..................................................11
Dielectric calibration.............................................. 11
Mineral Soil Calibration......................................... 11

7. Sample Programs.........................................13
Declaration of Conformity..............................17
Index...............................................................18
 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
1. Introduction

1. Introduction
Thank you for choosing the 10HS soil water content sensor. This in-
novative sensor will enable you to monitor volumetric water content
of soil accurately and affordably. This manual is designed to help you
understand the sensor’s features and how to use this device success-
fully.

Specifications
Range:
Apparent dielectric permittivity (ea): 1 (air) to 50
Soil volumetric water content (VWC): 0 – 0.57 m3/m3 (0 -57% VWC)
Accuracy:
(ea): ± 0.5 from ea of 2 to 10, ±2.5 from ea of 10 to 50 (VWC):
VWC: Using standard calibration equation: ± 0.03 m3/m3 (±
3% VWC) typical in mineral soils that have solution
electrical conductivity < 10 dS/m
Using soil specific calibration, ± 0.02 m3/m3 (± 2%
VWC) in any soil
Resolution:
εa: 0.1 from ea of 1 to 30, 0.2 from ea of 30 to 50
VWC: 0.0008 m3/m3 (0.08% VWC) in mineral soils from 0 to
0.50 m3/m3 (0-50% VWC)
Measurement Time: 10 ms (milliseconds)
Power requirements: 3VDC @ 12mA to 15 VDC @ 15 mA
Output: 300 – 1250 mV, independent of excitation voltage
Operating Temperature: 0 – 50 °C
Survival Temperature: -40 to 50 °C

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10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
1. Introduction

Connector types: 3.5 mm stereo plug or stripped and tinned leads.

Cable length: 5 m standard; custom cable length available upon
request
Datalogger Compatibility (non-exclusive):
Decagon: Em50, Em50R, Em5b, ProCheck handheld reader.
Campbell Scientific: CR10X, 21X, 23X, CR850, 1000, 3000, etc
Other: Any data acquisition system capable of switched 3 to15 V
excitation and single ended voltage measurement at 12 bit or better
resolution

Customer Support
If you ever need assistance with your 10HS, or if you just have
questions or feedback, there are several ways to contact us:

NOTE: If you purchased your 10HS through a distributor, please

contact them for assistance.

E-mail
support@decagon.com
Please include your name, contact information, instrument serial
number(s), and a description of your problem or question.
sales@decagon.com
Please include your name, address, phone number, the items you
wish to order and a purchase order number. Credit card numbers
should always be called in.

Phone
1-800-755-2751 (USA and Canada Only)
1-509-332-2756 (International)

Our Customer Support and Sales Representatives are available

Monday thru Friday from 8am to 5pm (Pacific Standard Time).

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 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
1. Introduction

Fax
1-509-332-5158

Warranty Information
The 10HS sensors have a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and a
one year warranty.

Seller’s Liability
Seller warrants new equipment of its own manufacture against de-
fective workmanship and materials for a period of one year from
date of receipt of equipment (the results of ordinary wear and tear,
neglect, misuse, accident and excessive deterioration due to corro-
sion from any cause are not considered to be a defect); but Seller’s
liability for defective parts shall in no event exceed the furnishing
of replacement parts f.o.b. the factory where originally manufac-
tured. Material and equipment covered hereby which is not man-
ufactured by the Seller shall be covered only by the warranty of its
manufacturer. Seller shall not be liable to Buyer for loss, damage,
or injuries to persons (including death), or to property or things
of whatsoever kind (including, but not without limitation, loss of
anticipated profits), occasioned by or arising out of the installation,
operation, use, misuse, nonuse, repair, or replacement of said ma-
terial and equipment, or out of the use of any method or process
for which the same may be employed. The use of this equipment
constitutes Buyer’s acceptance of the terms set forth in this war-
ranty. There are no understandings, representations, or warranties
of any kind, express, implied, statutory or otherwise, (including,
but without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability
and fitness for a particular purpose), not expressly set forth herein.

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10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
2. About the 10HS

2. About the 10HS

The 10HS measures the dielectric constant of the soil in order
to find its volumetric water content (VWC). Since the dielec-
tric constant of water is much higher than that of air or soil
minerals, the dielectric constant of the soil is a sensitive mea-
sure of volumetric water content. The 10HS has a low power
requirement and very high resolution. This gives you the abil-
ity to make as many measurements as you want (i.e. hour-
ly) over a long period of time with minimal battery usage.

Background Info
In 2005, the Decagon research team optimized a sensor oscillator fre-
quency for very high accuracy soil moisture measurements. The first sen-
sor to incorporate the new frequency was our EC-5 sensor. It quickly
became the most popular soil moisture sensor we’ve designed. The new
10HS sensor uses the same 70MHz oscillator frequency as the EC-5 but
has a larger soil volume and requires no special calibration when used
with other systems. New features of the 10HS include:
•Onboard voltage regulator allowing you to power the
sensor with a wide range of excitation voltages (3-15
VDC) without changing the calibration
•Large sensing (1100 cubic centimeters)allowing you to
have a more representative measurement of soil VWC
The 10HS sensor runs at the same oscillator frequency that has given the
EC-5 exceptional performance in soils (Kizito et.al, 2008, Bogena et. al,
2007). We recommend the 10HS sensor for mineral soil applications
where soil heterogeneity is a concern. However, we continue to recommend
the smaller EC-5 sensor for soilless substrate applications or applications
where VWC measurements on smaller scales (e.g. near surface measure-
ments, laboratory column studies, greenhouse applications) are desired.

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 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
3. Theory

3. Theory
The 10HS sensor measures the volumetric water content
of the soil using a capacitance technique. By rapidly charg-
ing and discharging a positive and ground electrode (capaci-
tor) in the soil, an electromagnetic field is generated whose
charge time (t) is related to the capacitance (C) of the soil by

V −Vf 
t = R C ln  
Vi − V f  (1)

where R is the series resistance, V is voltage at time t, Vi

is the starting voltage and Vf is the applied or supply volt-
age. Further, for a capacitor with a geometrical factor of
F, the capacitance is related to the dielectric permittiv-
ity (e) of the medium between the capacitor electrodes by

C =eoeF (2)

where eo is the permittivity of free space. Thus, the e of the soil can
be determined by measuring the change time (t) of a sensor buried
in the soil. Consequently, as water has a dielectric permittivity that
is much greater than soil minerals or air, the charge time t in the
soil of Eq. (1) can be correlated with soil volumetric water content.

5
10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
4. Installing the Sensor

4. Installing the Sensor

When selecting a site for installation, it is important to remem-
ber that the soil adjacent to the sensor surface has the strongest
influence on the sensor reading and that the sensor measures the
volumetric water content of the soil. Therefore any air gaps or
excessive soil compaction around the sensor and in between the
sensor prongs can profoundly influence the readings. Also, do not
install the sensors adjacent to large metal objects such as metal
poles or stakes. This can attenuate the sensor’s electromagnetic
field and adversely affect readings. In addition, the 10HS sen-
sor should not be installed within 5 cm of the soil surface, or
the sensing volume of the electromagnetic field can extend out
of the soil and reduce accuracy. Because the 10HS has gaps be-
tween its prongs, it is also important to consider the particle size
of the medium you are inserting the sensor into. It is possible to
get sticks, bark, roots or other material stuck between the sen-
sor prongs, which will adversely affect readings. Finally, be care-
ful when inserting the sensors into dense soil, as the prongs can
break if excessive sideways force is used when pushing them in.

Procedure
When installing the 10HS it is imperative to maximize contact
between the sensor and soil. For most accurate results, the sen-
sor should be inserted into undisturbed soil. There are two basic
methods to accomplish a high quality installation.

Method 1. Horizontal Installation: Excavate a hole or trench

a few centimeters deeper than the depth at which the sensor is to
be installed. At the installation depth, shave off some soil from the
vertical soil face exposing undisturbed soil. Insert the sensor into the
undisturbed soil face until the entire sensing portion of the 10HS
is inserted. The tip of each prong has been sharpened to make it
6
 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
4. Installing the Sensor

easier to push the sensor in – be careful with the sharp tips! Backfill
the trench taking care to pack the soil back to natural bulk density
around the black plastic portion of the 10HS.

Method 2. Vertical Installation: Auger a 4 inch hole to the depth

at which the sensor is to be installed. Insert the sensor into the
undisturbed soil at the bottom of the auger hole using your hand
or any other implement that will guide the sensor into the soil at
the bottom of the hole. Many people have used a simple piece of
PVC pipe with a notch cut in the end for the sensor to sit in, with
the sensor cable routed inside the pipe. After inserting the sensor,
remove the installation device and backfill the hole taking care to
pack the soil back to natural bulk density while not damaging the
black plastic portion of the sensor or the sensor cable in the process.

With either of these methods, the sensor may still be difficult

to insert into extremely compact or dry soil. Never pound
the sensor into the soil! If you have difficulty inserting the
sensor, you may need to wet the soil. This will obviously re-
sult in inaccurate VWC measurements until the water add-
ed during installation redistributes into the surrounding soil.

Orientation
The sensor can be oriented in any direction. However, orienting
the flat side perpendicular to the surface of the soil will minimize
effects on downward water movement. Keep in mind that the
sensor measures the average VWC along its length, so a vertical
installation will integrate VWC over a 10 cm depth while a hori-
zontal orientation will measure VWC at a more discrete depth.

Removing the Sensor

When removing the sensor from the soil, do not pull it out of
the soil by the cable! Doing so may break internal connections
and make the sensor unusable.

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10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
5. Collecting Data

5. Collecting Data
Data logger Requirements
The 10HS is designed to work most efficiently with Decagon’s
Em50 Em50R, or EM5b data loggers or our ProCheck handheld
readout. They can, however, be adapted for use with other data
loggers, such as those from Campbell Scientific, Inc., for example.
The 10HS requires an excitation voltage in the range of 3 to 15V.
It produces an output voltage that is related to the volumetric
water content of the soil in which it is buried, and ranges be-
tween approximately 0.3 to 1.25V. The output of the 10HS is
independent of the excitation voltage between 3 and 15V. Any
datalogger which can produce a 3 to 15V excitation with ap-
proximately 10 millisecond duration and read a volt-level signal
with 12-bit or better resolution should be compatible with the
10HS. The current requirement for the 10HS is less than 15mA.

Note: The 10HS is intended only for use with dataloggers and read-
out devices which can provide short excitation pulses, leaving the
sensor turned off most of the time. Continuous excitation not only
wastes battery power, but may, under certain circumstances, cause
the sensor to exceed government specified limits on electromagnetic
emissions.

Using the 10HS with Em50/Em50R and Em5b data loggers

The 10HS is designed for very easy integration into the Em50,
EM50R and Em5b based data logging systems. Simply plug the
stereo plug into one of the five ports on the Em50/Em50R or
Em5b, use ECH2O Utility, ECH2O Utility Mobile or Data-
Trac software to configure that port for a 10HS (see respec-

8
 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
5. Collecting Data

tive manuals) and set a measurement interval for the log-

ger. For more detailed instructions on configuring the data
logger, consult your Em50/Em50R or Em5b user manual.

3.5mm Stereo Plug 3.5mm Stereo Wiring

10HS sensors used with Decagon loggers come with a 3.5mm
“stereo plug” connector. The stereo plug allows for rapid con-
nection directly to Decagon’s Em50, Em50R, and Em5b data-
loggers and to the hand-held ProCheck readers. Below is a di-
agram showing the wiring configuration for this connector.

Analog
out

Ground Excitation

Connecting to a non-Decagon Data logger

10HS sensors for use with non-Decagon data loggers come pre-
configured with stripped and tinned lead wires at the customer’s
request.

Analog out (Red)

Sensor cable Ground (Bare)

Excitation (White)
10HS sensors with the stripped and tinned cable option can be
made with custom cable lengths (up to 250 ft) on a per-foot fee
basis. This option gets around the need for splicing wire (a pos-
sible failure point).

9
10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
5. Collecting Data

Connect the wires to the data logger as shown, with the supply
wire (white) connected to the excitation, the analog out wire (red)
to an analog input, and the bare ground wire to ground as seen
below.

Analog
Supply out Ground

Switched H L G
3-15V DC Analog
In

Datalogger

Note: The acceptable range of excitation voltages is from 3-15VDC. If

you wish to read the 10HS with Campbell Scientific data loggers, you
will need to power the sensors off of the switched 12V port rather than the
excitation port.

If your 10HS is equipped with the standard 3.5mm plug, and you
wish to connect it to a non-Decagon datalogger, you have two op-
tions. First, you can clip off the plug on the sensor cable, strip and
tin the wires, and wire it directly into the datalogger. This has the ad-
vantage of creating a direct connection with no chance of the sensor
becoming un-plugged; however, it then cannot be easily used in the
future with a Decagon readout unit or datalogger. The other option is
to obtain an adapter cable from Decagon. The 3-wire sensor adapter
cable has a connector for the sensor jack on one end, and three wires
on the other end for connection to a datalogger (this type of wire is
often referred to as a “pigtail adapter”). Both the stripped and tinned
adapter cable wires have the same termination as seen above; the
white wire is excitation, red is output, and the bare wire is ground.

10
 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
6. Calibration

6. Calibration
Dielectric calibration
The 10HS comes pre-calibrated to measure the dielectric per-
mittivity of the soil with the accuracy stated in the specification
section above.

With Decagon’s Em50, Em50R, Em5B, and ProCheck readers,

the following standard calibration function can be applied.

ea = 7.449 X 10-11 * raw counts4 - 1.969 X 10 -7 * raw counts3 +

1.890X 10-4 * raw counts2 - 6.691 X 10-2 * raw counts + 7.457

With non-Decagon data acquisition equipment, the following

calibration can be applied. Note that this calibration function is
valid for any sensor excitation between 3 and 15 V DC.

ea = 2.589 X 10-10 * mV4 – 5.010 X 10 -7 * mV3 + 3.523 X 10-4 *

mV2 – 9.135 X 10-2 * mV + 7.457

Mineral Soil Calibration

For convenience, Decagon has also developed a standard calibra-
tion equation for mineral soils to be used with the 10HS. With
this standard calibration equation and careful sensor installation,
accuracy of better than ±3% VWC (0.03 m3/m3) is possible with
most mineral soils. In these soils, it is generally not necessary to
calibrate the 10HS for your particular soil type, and the standard
mineral calibration below can be used.

11
10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
6. Calibration

Em50, Em50R, Em5B, and ProCheck:

VWC (m3/m3) = 1.17 X 10-9 * raw counts3 – 3.95 X 10-6 * raw

counts2 + 4.90 X 10-3 * raw counts – 1.92

With non-Decagon data acquisition equipment, the following

calibration can be applied. Note that this calibration function is
valid for any sensor excitation between 3 and 15 V DC.

VWC (m3/m3) = 2.97 X 10-9 * mV3 – 7.37 X 10-6 * mV2 + 6.69

X 10-3 * mV – 1.92

Due to the complexity of soils, the accuracy of the VWC measure-

ment can be poor despite an accurate measurement of dielectric
permittivity. Some examples of this are highly compacted soils,
very low bulk density soils, soils with abnormally high organic
matter content, and soils with high-dielectric mineral composi-
tion (e.g. TiO2 sands). Additionally, the accuracy of the 10HS
may suffer in soils with very high electrical conductivity (> 10
dS/m solution EC). In these soils, it may be necessary to calibrate
the 10HS to your specific soil type. With a soil-specific calibra-
tion, the accuracy of the VWC measurement will be improved to
1-2% in any soil or other porous medium. If you are interested
in a soil-specific calibration for your 10HS, there are two options
available. You can create your own sensor calibration by following
the directions in our application note titled Calibrating ECH2O
soil moisture probes from the Decagon website (www.decagon.
com) and following the step-by-step instructions for calibrating
your soil moisture sensors. Since some users do not have the time
or equipment to conduct their own calibration, Decagon now of-
fers a service providing soil-specific calibrations to our customers.
This calibration service also applies to non-soil materials, such as
compost, potting materials, etc. Contact Decagon for more informa-
tion on this service (sales@decagon.com).

12
 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
7. Sample Programs

7. Sample Programs
The following programs are examples that can be used with
dataloggers from Campbell Scientific. The first program is for a
CR1000 data logger, but can be easily adapted for other “CRBa-
sic” type loggers. The second program is for a CR10X data logger,
but can be easily adapted to other “Edlog” type loggers. Note that
the 10HS needs 3-15 V DC excitation, and therefore cannot be
excited with the 2.5 V excitation port of many Campbell Scien-
tific data loggers. We recommend that the switched 12V or CAO
port be used to excite the 10HS.

CR Basic type datalogger

‘‘CR1000 Series Datalogger

‘program to read one Decagon 10HS sensor
‘
‘wiring:
‘white - SW-12
‘red - SE CH1
‘bare - gnd

Public tenHSmV, VWC

DataTable (Table1,1,-1)
DataInterval (0,60,Min,10)
Average (1,VWC,FP2,False)
EndTable

BeginProg
Scan (10,Sec,0,0)
SW12 (1)
Delay (0,10,mSec)

13
10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
7. Sample Programs

VoltSe (tenHSmV,1,mV2500,1,1,0,_60Hz,1.0,0)
SW12 (0)
VWC = 2.97e-9 * tenHSmV^3 - 7.37e-6 *
tenHSmV^2 + 6.69e-3 * tenHSmV - 1.92 ‘mineral soil calibra-
tion updated 8/09
CallTable Table1
NextScan
EndProg

Edlog type data logger

;{CR10X}
;
;program to read 10HS sensor with CR10X
;
;wiring:
;Jumper from C1 to SW 12V CTRL - C1 is used to turn on the
switched 12V port
;10HS white - excitaiton - SW 12V
;10HS red - Vout - SE CH1
;10HS bare - gnd - G or AG

*Table 1 Program
01: 10 Execution Interval (seconds)

;set C1 high to pull SW 12 port high

;
1: Do (P86)
1: 41 Set Port 1 High

;delay program 10 ms and measure SE channel 1 in units of

volts

14
 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
7. Sample Programs

;
2: Excite-Delay (SE) (P4)
1: 1 Reps
2: 5 2500 mV Slow Range
3: 1 SE Channel
4: 1 Excite all reps w/Exchan 1
5: 1 Delay (0.01 sec units)
6: 0000 mV Excitation
7: 1 Loc [ ten_HS_V ]
8: .001 Multiplier
9: 0.0 Offset

;turn off excitaiton

;
3: Do (P86)
1: 51 Set Port 1 Low

;apply calibration (updated 8/09)

;
4: Polynomial (P55)
1: 1 Reps
2: 1 X Loc [ ten_HS_V ]
3: 2 F(X) Loc [ VWC ]
4: -1.92 C0
5: 6.69 C1
6: -7.37 C2
7: 2.97 C3
8: 0.0 C4
9: 0.0 C5

5: If time is (P92)
1: 0000 Minutes (Seconds --) into a
2: 60 Interval (same units as above)
3: 10 Set Output Flag High (Flag 0)

15
10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
7. Sample Programs

6: Real Time (P77)^18390

1: 1110 Year,Day,Hour/Minute (midnight = 0000)

7: Average (P71)^12836
1: 1 Reps
2: 2 Loc [ VWC ]

*Table 2 Program
02: 0.0000 Execution Interval (seconds)

*Table 3 Subroutines

End Program

16
 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
Declaration of Conformity

Declaration of Conformity
Application of Council Directive: 89/336/EE6

Standards to Which Conformity EN61326 : 1998

is Declared: EN51022 : 1998

Manufacturer’s Name: Decagon Devices, Inc.

2365 NE Hopkins Court
Pullman,WA 99163 USA

Type of Equipment: Dielectric Soil

Moisture Sensor

Model Number: 10HS

Year of First Manufacture: 2008

This is to certify that the 10HS dielectric soil moisture sensors,

manufactured by Decagon Devices, Inc., a corporation based in
Pullman, Washington, USA meet or exceed the standards for CE
compliance as per the Council Directives noted above. All instru-
ments are built at the factory at Decagon and pertinent testing
documentation is freely available for verification.

17
10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
Index

Index
A
Accuracy 1
Alternate connection methods 10

B
Background 4

C
Cable length 2
Calibration 12
Calibration service 12
Campbell Scientific 8
Capacitance technique 5
Compatibility 2
Connector types 2
Customer Support 2

D
Datalogger connections 10
Dielectric permittivity 5
Duration 8

E
ECH2O Utility 8
Edlog 13
Electromagnetic field 6

F
Fax 3
Frequency 4

I
Installation
horizontal 6
vertical 7
Introduction 1

18
 10HS--Soil Moisture Sensor
Index

L
Liability 3

M
Measurement Time 1
Mineral soil calibration 11

O
Operating Temperature 1
Orientation 7
Output 1

P
Particle size 6
Phone 2
Power requirements 1
Programs 13

R
Range 1
Removing the sensor 7
Resolution 1

S
Sample programs 13
Specifications 1
Stereo plug 9
Survival Temperature 1

T
Theory 5

W
Warranty 3
Wiring configuration 9

19